Backyard Barbecue
by DailyStarGazer
Summary: I've been hiding this story from society for about a year now...so with that being said; Do you like Mondler? Do you like Mondler with kids? Do you like Mondler kids? Then what are you sitting here reading this summary for? Click on the link!
1. Chapter 1

I wipe the sweat from my brow as I stare them down.

This 90 degree heat leaves a light brown tint across my exposed skin. The sun shimmers off the pool water as the wind blows softly through the trees on this Saturday afternoon in the middle of June.

This position wasn't my intention when I first got hit but it's about the only option I have since I'm now on defense without a game plan.

I'm outnumbered by four, the intensity surreal as they count down from 9; only yelling out the odd numbers.

I quickly run over to the garden and smear my two fingers in the soil before spreading the dirt under my eyes. Hurrying back I shuffle from one end to the other, making sure I look every single one of my opponents in the eye. "It's game time. Don't get scared now."

They don't feel threatened as I point my two dirty fingers from my eyes to theirs. Stopping just in front of my 8 year old son I comment "Bet you wish you didn't throw the ball in my direction now, don't ya?"

He just rolls his eyes and stays in the zone. Raised that boy well.

"36!"

Did they just call out my age?

"36!" I watch as Ben looks side to side at all his cousins.

"I'm coming for you." I point at Erica

"Hut-hut-hike!"

All at once I see my life flash as a gang of kids rush towards me with a yell. I pick up the first one that reaches me and spin around. Not even 5 seconds later two more are wrapped around my legs. "What, are you guys triple-teaming me now?" I question.

They just laugh in response. It's not as if I was looking for an exact answer, anyway.

"Wait..." I look over when I see Ben pass the ball to the youngest member of the family "There goes the ball!" Little Ryder giggles as he passes everyone, racing to the tiki post "There it is! I see it..." My voice hitches as I try to speak softly to all the kids. Unfortunately, I can't move with a set of twins on my feet and Emma in my arms.

I'm too busy being pounded that I can't watch my youngest son spike the ball into the ground like his older brother taught him.

Slowly my knees give in and they bring me down until I hit the floor with a puff. My breath feels heavy as I try to bring it back to a steady pace. Emma is spread out on my chest and quickly Jack and Erica pile on top of her. "Ugh..." It would be different if they eased onto my body with a gentle and careful lay, but instead, they jump on top of this dog pile.

Looking down at Emma, I make sure she's not hurt from the hard pounding. But the smile on her face reassures any concern I may have.

"Okay, okay..." I breathe and they stop wiggling for a second to look at me "Let's get one thing straight." Thankfully, Ben stands over my head to block the sun so I don't look like a squinting goof as I tell them a very important life lesson. "I'm 28."

"Dad, you were 28 when you had us." Erica points out

"Hey, hey hey." I point my finger at her, my head lifting up slightly and by the strict tone in my voice she looks quite frightened "Your mother had you." I correct "I would have gladly settled for the monkey's at the zoo." I pause "Oh, wait, that's exactly what I got!" I begin tickling their stomachs, making them squirm.

"Ahhhh..." And just like that my vision goes black.

One of these days he is going to break my nose. I know he is only 3 at the moment, but it won't be long until his knee actually hits a bone just right.

Bringing my hands up I wrap them around Ryder's side and lift. His head comes down to my upper chest, his feet in the air. Slowly, his shirt drops to his chin and I see a tummy that is fair game.

Blowing a giant raspberry he shrieks as his hands push at my head.

I love kids, in fact, I want 3 more. Whether that be by adoption or natural birth, I want them.

Commitment use to be a huge fear of mine before Monica came along. Truthfully, I don't know where I'd be if Monica never sat me down and told me that we needed to be honest with each other. However, there is one thing I do know; I wouldn't be nearly as happy as I am now if I never married Monica.

When I told Mon I wanted 3 more I'll admit, she laughed. But could I blame her? We don't have that kind of money after adopting Ryder from New Zealand. At just 5 months old, he was given up by his birth father. His birth mother died in labor leaving his father alone to care for the baby. The economy was in terrible condition and he realized he couldn't take care of little Ryder by himself. He was the one that found us after we put our names down for another baby back when the twins were turning 4. It took a little over a year and soon we were flying out to New Zealand to greet the boy whose name means _Mountain Warrior._

With olive skin, green eyes and light brown hair, we get mistaken for his birth parents everyday. But isn't that the assumption when seeing a baby with a pair of adults?

As for the twins, their blonde hair gives us funny looks. But those funny looks are what make us even more proud that they are our children.

"Daddy!"

Ryder's watery eyes and red cheeks bring me back to reality and I slowly let him back down to his wobbly legs.

"Alright, why don't you kids go play so I can start dinner."

They must be hungry because I don't think I've ever seen kids move off a dog pile that fast.

When I'm in the clear Ben reaches out his hand to help me up.

"Nice defense, Uncle Chandler."

Standing up, I brush the grass seed off my shorts and without looking up at my nephew I know what he's thinking.

"You and I next game?"

"Oh yeah." I reply and walk off to where the adults are laughing around my new deck furniture. Sharing some appetizers my wife brought out a few minutes ago, they laugh at something that I only catch the ending to. "What'd I miss?" I maneuver between Rachel and Monica to grab a carrot with veggie dip.

"Babe-" I feel Monica grab the outside of my shorts and pull.

"Not right here honey, we've got company."

Without commenting she continues "You've got grass stains all over your ass." Twisting, I see what she means.

"Language." Rachel looks down at her infant that rest on Monica's chest fast asleep.

"You can get them out, right?" I have full confidence that she can but I know she loves to be reminded of her gift.

She just grins and rubs the babies back consolingly.

"Mon, you better give that baby back to Rachel, I don't want to be up all night hearing you name off adoption agencies again."

She just slaps my butt in response as I turn and step out of the circle to join Ross and Mike by the grill "Thanks man." I pat Mike on the back and he hands off the spatula.

"Dude, when is Joey suppose to get here?" Ross asks, careful not to spill his beer, he looks at his watch.

"I'm not sure, he said something about a ring."

Pausing, we all turn and look at Andy sitting around the table. After a year of dating her I can't believe Joey is actually ready to get a taste of commitment.

"You don't think..." Ross stops mid-sentence.

"Boy's, I think we finally rubbed off on him." Mike comments

Grabbing my beer off the side table we all take a sip and sigh contently.

We've come a long way from moving out of apartment 20. Monica and I have 3 kids and are thinking about another one, Rachel just had a baby and her and Ross put an offer on a house a few blocks over from ours. Phoebe and Mike are going strong, in fact, they are expecting their first in 6 months. Now Joey, the last bachelor of the group, is about to put a ring on it. It truly is amazing how far one can go just by saying the wrong name at the alter.

Glancing over at Ross, he takes another sip and I wonder if the same thoughts are running through his head right now.

As if he knew we were talking about him, Joey slides the back door open and steps out.

"Joey!" All the girls greet him as he makes his way around the group, before sharing a kiss with Andy and joining the guys.

When he gets to me he pauses and as serious as this moment can get, says "Dude, don't you ever shower?" He asks, taking the cold beer Ross hands him. The beer bottle is dripping with water and has an ice cube stuck around the cap from sitting in the cooler all day, but he doesn't seem to mind.

I rub the back of my hand under my eyes; which only smears the dirt, and then hug my best friend. "It's good to see you too, Joe." Once I break away I ask the question that all of us are wondering. "So, where is it?" I nudge him, hoping he will catch on without me having to spell it out for him and possibly ruining the surprise.

"Where's what?" He questions, popping open the bottle.

Worth a shot.

"The diamond." Ross clues in

He shakes his head, trying to think about what it is we know that he doesn't remember. How could he forget something so important?

Leaning in, Mike whispers "The ring."

"Oh!" His eyes go wide and he holds up his right hand "Nice, ha?" On his finger he displays a piece of iron so big it reaches all the way to his knuckle. "It's from the show. They said 'this is for not screwing up'. And it even has the date it aired." He points out

"Oh, yeah, I see it." My eyes are squinted as all us men lean forward to get a glimpse of his prize.

"Dude, we thought you were going to propose to Andy." Ross hisses, as he slaps Joey's hand away.

"What!" His voice goes high for a minute, surprised by his friends reaction. "Why would you think that? I mean, we've been dating for most of two years and her parents love me, and we live together..."

My eyebrows reach my hairline waiting for him to realize all the signs that point to marriage.

"It would only make since that I buy a really expensive ring and plant it in the dinner I made for us later tonight." He grins as his voice goes high with excitement.

"What?" I question but don't look for an answer as a smile overtakes my face. "You're gonna propose?"

Joey nods

"Congratulations, man." Ross pats him on the back with his free hand "You almost had me going there."

"It's about time." I comment, taking a swig of me beer.

"Yeah." His voice gets low as he leans in closer "I even asked her old man for a blessing, and I rented this really expensive suit." He tells us "She really means a lot to me. It all makes since to get married."

We exchange a few more _congratulations_ , even though he isn't even engaged yet.

"Wait," We all look over at Mike standing there with a clueless look "You made dinner?"

There is a pause among the group before Joey breaks out into a mischievous grin. "I got a few tips from Mon, but yeah, I managed to make something that wasn't overcooked, burnt, stuck to the pan, and well...edible."

"My wife knew about this, and she didn't tell me?" I question, looking back at Monica. She continues to rub the babies back before glancing up at me with a short smile. I watch as it fades and I nod quickly to assure her everything is okay before my attention returns to the guys.

"Not technically." He answers "I just told her that I needed help on a very important dinner. I'm sure she figured out what important dinner it was later on. But I didn't officially tell anyone." He takes a drink of his beer "The only reason you guys know is because you guessed."

"Well, I'm very happy for you two." Mike smiles, bringing the conversation back to the beginning. "You guys deserve it."

"Thanks, but honestly, I think she deserves better. I just have to ask her before anyone else has the chance to." He jokes

"Don't start talking nonsense." I pine in "She's with you because she loves you." I assure "And because she can't find anyone better..." I mutter softly just as my bottle touches the edge of my lips and I look away.

Joey lets out a fake chuckle as we all laugh "Ha ha..."

I shake my head "I'm kidding. All jokes aside, I am happy for you guys. You two are going to make a beautiful family some day." I soften my voice "You're like a brother to me, I've seen you grow from this bachelor to a mature adult. And I'm sure one day when your 'mini me' is grown you'll pass some of your wisdom and life lessons you've learned along the way onto him." I swallow the lump in my throat "And even though I'm not too fond of it, I watch as you teach Jack a few things about how to treat a women right, and I've gotta say, it's nice to have an uncle like you in his life." I raise my beer as I motion to my best friend with honor.

Ross pats my back and I get pushed forward a little bit by the force of it. "Chandler Bing is getting sentimental..." He says "Who would have known such a thing!"

Rolling my eyes, I shove his shoulder "And that my friends, is my cue to leave." Setting my beer down I step over to the grill and lift the lid.

Hot steam escapes the burner and fogs the sunglasses on top of my head. The smell is enticing as I grab my spatula from the hook and begin flipping over a few burgers.

I love everything about this time of year; the weather, the holidays, the smell, the attitude from society once they are released from their cocoons after a long winter. All in all, it's perfect and there is nothing to complain about.

Every summer I like to keep myself busy with a project. Last year it was the deck, the year before that was a tree house, and this year was a builtin gas grill. I just finished it this week, which is how this cookout came to be. I wanted to test things out, see if the thousand dollars I put into this project was worth it. If it wasn't for the promotion at work I'd be standing over my Char-Broil American Gourmet 840 black charcoal grill right now. That thing was a piece of junk and came with the house. Who knows how old it was before I tossed it?

I feel a set of arms snake around my waist and clasp just above my belt. "How's it working?"

Monica's chin rests above my shoulder as she watches my every move.

"Really nice, I love it!" I comment, turning the left burner down slightly. "I'm sure it's 10x easier to clean than that charcoal grill, hopefully cheaper too." I chuckle "Well, at the moment it's burning a hole in my pocket. But in the end, it'll last longer and I won't have to buy a bag of charcoal every other weekend." I comment "Just a tank of propane a month and I'll be good to go." I grab my tongs and put down the spatula.

"If you're happy with it money doesn't matter..."

I feel a slight bump behind me and glance back to find Erica latched onto Monica's body.

"Hey kiddo, you hungry?" I question to which she nods. "Good."

"Do you want a hamburger or hot dog?" Monica asks as one hand leaves me to run through our messy child's pigtails.

"Hot dog!" She jumps up with excitement.

"I don't know why I bothered asking..." Monica mumbles to me before looking back down at Erica "Do you want to split it with Rye?"

Erica bites her lip before slowly shaking her head from side to side.

"Baby, you know you never finish a whole hot dog by yourself."

" _Last year_ I didn't finish a whole hot dog by myself." She informs us "I'm 8 now, I think I can manage."

Monica and I just stare at our daughter with shock "When did you become so smart."

"When I won the 2nd Grade Spelling Bee!" She smiles wide, still proud of her achievement.

"That's right!" I reach up to close the lid before turning back around "Did you tell Uncle Ross about your award?" I question

"No!" She gasps, before running off to share the good news.

I hear Monica sigh as she turns back around to face me and I already know what she is going to say before she says it.

"I know." I reach down to intertwine her fingers with mine. "But we've talked about this." I remind her "This year just got too busy. When the new year comes around we'll look into our options and see if there is something else we can try besides adoption." Bringing her wedding band up to my lips I place a gentle kiss upon them.

"How do you know me so well?" She frowns

"Because, I love you."

And there it is, the smile I've been waiting for.

"I love you too." She leans in but before we can make contact a loud scream comes from the play ground. "Who was that?" She asks, immediately looking for our three.

"Only one way to find out..." I peck the side of her cheek before making my way over to the crime scene. "What's going on over here?" I question, coming to a stop in front of the sand box where Jack sits mischievously with Emma halfway out.

"I found a worm!" Jack smiles, showing me his hand full of sandy worm.

"Eww..." Emma's face scrunches up with discussed as she scoots even further away.

I sigh "Jack, why do you feel the need to torment you cousin with an insect that has a cylindrical tube-like body and no limbs?"

He looks at me blankly and I realize I'm speaking to the wrong kid.

"Aright, no more disturbing the birds food, go put it in the garden then you two need to wash up for dinner." I instruct before looking down at my 9 year old niece "Do you like hamburgers or hot dogs, Em?"

"Hot dogs!" She shouts, and now I know where Erica gets it.

"Okay, one hot dog coming up!" I shout back playfully and she giggles. Reaching down I help her to her feet "Now, where is Ryder?" I ask

"Ben took him potty." She explains before running off.

There are way too many kids at this house to keep track of. Where is my partner in crime when I need her? A head count would be perfect right about now.

I scan the deck for Monica only to find her disappear inside followed by the other three girls. She always knows how to round up all the kids and get them cleaned up for supper. The last thing we need is a case of some outrageous illness and a million bacteria's floating around the house. I can see her through the back door instructing all the kids to line up in front of the sink. Rachel is making her way through the crowd to give each germ filled hand a squirt of soap. Andy is on towel duty, while Monica stands off to the side inspecting each one before they pass by.

Leave it to My Love to get these kids back to normal.

* * *

AN:

Alright young inspired writers, I have a part two to this little story but I really don't know if I should post it. (Because it's not as good as part 1). Let me know if your Mondler hearts are yearning for more and I'll post it within the week :)


	2. Chapter 2

Barbecue vs. Cookouts is a continued controversy in America. What is considered a barbecue and what kind of meats do we expect at a cookout? While cookouts are defined as an informal meal cooked and eaten outdoors a barbecue is anything that involves _BBQ_. While both sides of this argument have strong points of view, neither dispute is completely wrong. However, people of different regions will always have divergent meanings towards the two concepts.

Being from the North we use the term Barbecue any time a slab of meat hits the grill. But what really makes each barbecue different is the marinades, the proprietary spice rubs and the long hours it takes to make your meal memorable. BBQ is a slow roasting process as the flavor slowly soaks into the tender meat. Although it takes time for your meal to be shared, the only thing that burns is the special sauce along the edges, enriching it with a flavored crunch. The smell is always overwhelming causing your impatient wait to grow thinner. Although it may be hard to resist, you have to be careful when taking the food off the burner, as the tender meat may fall off the bone while you remove it from the grill.

Good thing I'm whipping up the typical barbecue specialty; hamburger and hot dogs, so I don't have to worry about the mess BBQ brings.

With my hands stuffed deep into my shorts, I head back to my grill. The excitement from the backyard is starting to die down as everyone heads inside to grab their plates. The only people remaining are the guys and an infant. I feel like we've just recreated a version of _Three Men and a Baby;_ except now it's four.

Fortunately, before I can reach the spatula Mike's shutting the lid and turning off the grill with the meat already on a platter ready to be served. He may have just saved us all from a pizzeria. If he hadn't pulled the food off when he did I'm sure I'd be hearing Erica complain about a burnt hot dog in about five minutes.

"Thanks, Mike." I pat him on the shoulder as he grabs the plate full of food and heads to the back door.

"Just because you host the cookout doesn't mean you need to do all the work." He smiles and I hurry to open the door for him. "Come and get it!" Mike calls out just as I close the door behind him.

Ross sports a sleeping infant as he stands in the shade and out of the sun. He is one man that can rock a sleeping baby and eat a burger at the same time. That right there is a man who was born to be a father.

I don't know what I did to deserve this. I was the most unlucky man when it came to women and addicted to cigarettes at just 9 years old. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I take a deep breath. I was Jack's age when I snuck out for my first smoke and it kills me to think of him in the same situation. I regret everyday for the mistakes I've made back then, but without those mistakes I wouldn't be the man I am today.

The idea of not having this group of supporting friends and a family who loves me, hurts. I have to pinch myself every morning just to make sure I'm not dreaming. This is actually my life, and I'm truly happy with whom I've become.

The back door slides open and Monica's head pokes out. "What are you boys standing out here for?" She questions, stepping fully out and into the sunshine. "Foods inside, Joe." She informs, in case he's forgotten.

"Now Mon, I've learned to let the little children get their plates first." He says, rather grownup "And that could take some time."

She nods, understanding "They're already settled-"

"What!"As quickly as his feet can carry him, Joey moves towards the door causing Monica to step out of the way.

With a chuckle, Ross shakes his head and follows "Joey will always be Joey."

Stuffing my hands back in their cubbies, I watch as my two best friends disappear into the kitchen. However, I remain standing in my spot. I wanna enjoy this moment just a little while longer.

"Hungry?"

A grin appears on my lips as Monica slithers towards me.

"Thirsty?"

Her voice drops to a whisper with every word she says.

"Sweaty?" She asks, stopping just in front of me "How about exhausted?" She finishes with a hint of seductiveness in her voice

I laugh out loud and pull her in so there is no space between us "Why Mrs. Bing, are you trying to seduce me?"

She looks away pretending to think about it "Maybe...is it working?"

"Maybe." I admit

Her laugh is soft as she leans in with a deep breath; like it's our first kiss all over again. The anticipation is overwhelming before her lips lightly brush against mine.

"Dad!"

So close.

Monica steps back just as Jack bursts through the middle of us. "Can we play some more football? Ben said he's game." He asks, ketchup visible on the edge of his lip.

"Honey, we haven't ate yet." Monica says before I have a chance to respond.

"Well, you should hurry, Joey's in there." He says, looking back at me, waiting for my answer.

"Bud, you have ketchup on your face."

And just as I expected, he takes the back of his hand and swipes. I can feel Monica tense up, but she doesn't act on it.

Shifting to my other foot I finally answer his question "Give me 20 minutes." Before he has a chance to run off I add a final thought "Put on your trunks, too."

"We can go swimming!"

I shrug, stealing a glance back at Monica "Well, the losers are getting thrown in the pool."

Jack laughs "But dad...we can't throw you." He comments, but before I can grab him for being such a smarty pants, he runs off.

"He's your son." I mutter, wrapping my arms back around my lady.

"Yes." Her smile is glowing at the sound of that "With your personality."

My eyes leave our son and return to my wife. I nod, softening my voice "With my personality." I repeat

The evening was beginning to cool and the sun was setting fast. Monica was inside digging through the cabinet for empty jars that she uses for canning so the kids had something to hold their bugs in. While Ross drove to the market for more s'mores supplies, I was digging out the fire pit and gathering logs from the side of the house.

This is my favorite part about the season: the family bonding in the hot sun, the late nights cuddled under the stars with a small blanket wrapped around all five of us, the campfire crackling as the kids run around with pickle jars.

It's the time of year that no one wants to end.

"I found one!" I hear one munchkin yell as I grab my lighter fluid and squirt the logs before setting a flame towards it.

"Daddy..." Turning I find Monica standing behind me holding Ryder with a bag of marshmallows stretched out for me to grab. "Open."

"What do you say?" Monica jostles him in her arms.

"Pawees!"

Setting the fluid aside, I grab the bag with a laugh. "Yes, sir." Opening the plastic I pull out one and hand it to him.

His little hands grip the fluffy treat immediately and he takes a tiny bite with a huge grin spread across his cheeks.

Ryder is our picky eater and will only eat things that look appetizing. Food cannot be touching other food, no sauce is allowed, and don't even dream about giving him greens. Monica and I are patient with him and only every once and a while do we push him to try something new. However, he is three and in complete control of his tantrum schedule.

His head slowly drops onto Monica's shoulder with a heavy sigh as he continues to chew.

"I know, it's a lot of work." I joke, tilting my head so he can see me upright.

"Do you wanna go play with the other kids?" Monica asks, as her hip pops out and she begins doing the sway, making sure he doesn't fall asleep just yet. Shaking his head, he takes another bite and continues to watch the fire glow.

"Where's Rach?" I question

"Putting Caleb down." She explains

Joey and Andy left after dinner with a party in mind. His costars are celebrating the 100th episode by doing the pub-crawl. There is a good chance I'll get a phone call late tonight to come pick them up. But I'm okay with that. I'd rather get a call at 3 in the morning from their drunk asses then a call at 3 in the morning from the hospital.

Once they left Mike and Phoebe soon followed with an aching back and a horny Pheebs. Being pregnant has the strangest mood swings, so I understood when Mike gave me that look: "I don't mean to eat and run but she's wrapped around me fingers." It happens to the best of us.

"Did Ben pick up Bailey?" Monica questioned as she maneuvered towards the porch swing we moved out on the lawn.

"Yeah," I followed her, holding the swing in place as she sat down "He said they might come back when they run out of tickets." I explain, taking a seat next to my wife. "But that could take all night."

She nods, adjusting Ryder so that he is straddling her lap and facing the fire. I watch as his head falls back against her before he takes another bite. His marshmallow almost half gone. "Cracker?" He asks, tilting his head back to look at his mother.

"We've gotta wait for Uncle Ross to come back from the store." She explains gently.

Reaching up, he offers her his half eaten treat. "No, thanks. That's yours."

Monica is on this thing called a "diet". I don't fully understand the term but it sounds boring. You can't eat any bread, no sugar, no cheese, and drink about 50 glasses of water a day. I'd be in and out of the bathroom if I drank just 10 glasses of liquid. She has a strong willpower, I would have caved the second a marshmallow was shoved in my face.

Frankly, I don't believe she needs to diet. She's perfect the way she is and nothing will change. I may be bias because she's my wife, but it's true. I love her form, her curves, the way she has that mother look but still keeps the hot, sexy-

"Hey Rach, did you get him down okay?" Monica looks past me to her best friend that sits down in a lawn chair on the edge of the fire.

"Like an angle. I put him in Ryder's bed if that's okay?" She questions

"Nope, that's perfect." She begins brushing back our sons bangs "Right, bud. You don't mind if Caleb sleeps in your race-car bed, do you?"

He quickly looks up "I sleep with you!" He grins

Monica sighs so I decide to take this one. "Hey," I grab his attention "There is no such thing as monsters." I assure him gently "Daddy already checked, remember."

His eyes drop and his lip pokes out.

"He believes in monsters?" Rachel questions softly.

Monica nods "Jack made up a story and he's been freaked out ever since." She explains

"Yeah, we are still punishing Jack for that." I say rather annoyed. We both haven't been sleeping well the past few days, but how well do you expect to sleep with a sprawled out toddler in between you and your pillow.

"Did somebody want a cracker?"

All our heads turn to find Ross walking up with a bag of s'more supplies.

"Rossy!" Ryder shouts, jumping off Monica's lap and over to his uncle. He's clamping his hand like a crab ready to grab his prey.

Ross kneels down as he reaches in the bag for the box. "How many can he have, Mon?" He asks, opening the gram crackers.

"Just one." She replies and I can hear Ryder make a small whining noise.

You can hear the crickets sing as the fire grows stronger. The light dances off Monica's face as she nuzzles into my side and I find myself smiling.

I am truly blessed and I wonder how this life even exists. I lose at poker games and trip over my own feet, and somehow I was given a beautiful wife and three healthy children. Although we seem like the most put together group, we fight and argue, have a messy living room and muddy footprints that lead from our back door. They don't get A's on every assignment in school and I'd lie if I said they've never seen their own blood.

"Get 'em!" Erica jumps to try and catch the blinking light that is drawing further and further away.

They've run their bikes into fences and I've heard an inappropriate word roll off their tongue before. But they're kids, they're not perfect and things like this happen. Our family is the All American bunch with scrapped knees and ketchup on our faces'. We will mess up and some of those mess ups will lead to scaring, but in the end we will finish the day with a laugh as Jack continues to miss his mouth. Every year will pass and our kids will grow in the own unique way.

"How's your chest?" Monica whispers as her hand comes up to rub my forming abs.

I huff, remembering my belly flop vaguely. "We should have never bought that pool." I comment

"What?" Her head shoots up, surprised, as she searches my eyes "You were begging me at the store, saying "the kids need a way to cool down, Mon. Come on, it'll be fun!""

My hand runs through my damp hair, the grin on my face becoming harder to hide these days.

She shoves me playfully, "You're such a jerk, you know that." Her body relaxes against mine once again and my arm drapes around her shoulders.

"Yeah..." I kiss the side of her head and whisper so soft she could feel the breath leaving my body "But I'm your jerk."

* * *

AN:

Have a Happy Mother's Day and be sure to let your moms know you love them! Some times your love is not that obvious and some times they need reassuring. It doesn't take much to show your appreciation for all they do, honestly, I think everyday should be Mother's Day.


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